A man suspected of murdering popular Ohangla dancer Sheila Odoyo, alias Sheila Wegesha, will remain in police custody for seven more days as detectives seek to complete investigations into the 2024 killing.
Mavoko Principal Magistrate Martha Nanzushi on Tuesday granted detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Athi River more time to hold Jackson Otieno Bambo, alias James Babu Olang, who was arrested in Tanzania after a two-year manhunt.
Mr Bambo, the deceased’s husband, is suspected of killing her at their matrimonial home in Hill View Estate, Athi River, on the night of May 9, 2024.
Police in Athi River, Machakos County, are investigating the gruesome murder of a popular Ohangla dancer, 38-year-old Sheila Odoyo, who was found murdered in her matrimonial home on Thursday with deep cuts on her throat.
Photo credit: Courtesy
In seeking the extension, the investigating officer told the court that detectives were yet to complete several crucial aspects of the investigation, including obtaining and analysing forensic evidence and securing the postmortem report.
“We want to record statements from key witnesses, including family members, verify the authenticity of a Tanzanian national identity card recovered from the suspect and obtain records of cross-border cooperation from Tanzanian authorities,” the officer told the court.
The officer further told the court that Bambo needed to undergo a mental assessment at Machakos Level 5 Hospital.
Detectives argued that he was a flight risk, having allegedly fled Kenya and remained in Tanzania for nearly two years, where he reportedly established a club in Kirongwe, Shirati District, about 70 kilometres from the Muhuru border point.
The court also heard that investigators were yet to recover and examine his mobile phone, whose signal was last traced in Narok County shortly after the murder.
In her ruling, Ms Nanzushi said the prosecution had shown compelling reasons to keep the suspect in custody and granted the request for seven more days.
Mr Bambo will remain detained at Athi River Police Station. The case will be mentioned on November 4, 2026, when he is expected to take a plea at the Machakos High Court.
According to the DCI, detectives pursued leads for nearly two years before intelligence placed him in Kirongwe, where he was reportedly living and running a club.
At the time of his arrest, he was found with a Tanzanian national identity card bearing the name James Babu Olang, police said. Investigators also reported that he had remarried and was building a house in Tanzania.
He was initially booked at Nyatike Police Station before being transferred to Athi River as preparations for his arraignment continued.
The arrest marked a major development in the investigation into the death of Ms Odoyo, 38, whose body was discovered in her matrimonial bedroom on May 10, 2024. She was found lying on a bed, with blood on the mattress and a deep cut on her throat.
Her daughter, Linda Okinyi, reportedly told DCI officers that she learnt of her mother's death on the afternoon of May 10, when she went to serve her lunch.
She told detectives that her father had left home at about 1am that night, driving a Mitsubishi Outlander, without explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
At the time, detectives were investigating the killing and seeking to establish the motive and identify the perpetrator.
A detective familiar with the investigation told the Nation in May 2024 that Mr Bambo was a person of interest because he was reportedly at the home on the night the murder was believed to have occurred.
“There were signs of commotion in the bedroom. We are treating the husband as a person of interest. We are yet to recover the murder weapon,” the detective was quoted as saying.
The remarks were made during the initial stages of the investigation, before Mr Bambo's reported arrest in Tanzania.
Slain Ohangla dancer Sheila Odoyo, alias Sheila Wegesha.
Photo credit: Pool
Ms Odoyo was widely known to fans as Sheila Wegesha and was popular in Nairobi and surrounding areas for her performances in Ohangla dance clubs.
She was also reported to have owned JB Lounge, a pub and liquor store in Umoja Estate, which she ran with assistance from her husband.
After her death, photographs of the couple from happier times circulated widely on social media as fans mourned the dancer.
A neighbour who spoke to the Nation shortly after the killing described the tragedy as the devastating end of a relationship that, like many marriages, had its difficulties.
“Every marriage has its own ups and downs. It is unfortunate it ended tragically,” the neighbour said at the time.
